Google Fires Up Extensions Beta, Chrome Browser For Linux

Google has finally released the Linux version of its Chrome Browser to cater for a growing user base of non-Windows Chrome aficionados amongst whom are a sizable number of Google engineers.

The browser, which can be downloaded here offers "tight integration with native GTK themes, updates that are managed by the standard system package manager, and many other features that fit in natively with the operating system where possible" according to the Google Chrome for Linux team.

Google Chrome is now available on four different platforms (if Android is included) and caters for the majority of users worldwide.

One of the reasons why Google might have taken so long to launch the Mac version of Chrome is because of the forthcoming Chrome OS. Both Mac and Linux versions will share a significant amount of code because of the common history of their OSes.

Since Chrome for Linux is likely to be tightly integrated to Chrome OS, it does make sense for Google developers to take slightly more time to deliver these two products.

Google has also officially released its Chrome extensions beta section which offers more than 330 extensions, some of which, like Dinosaur Comics Easter Eggs, do not offer much functionality. The Chrome Extensions homepage can be accessed here and is compatible only with PC and Linux.

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In addition, a number of open source contributors are continuing to work on the open source version of Chrome, Chromium.org, which will serve as the underlying foundation of future versions of the browser. Chromium builds are available regularly.